Kanye West knocked the club out of the Champions League! The most absurd qualification story

Kazakhstan's Kairat sensationally crashed out of Champions League qualification, and the indirect culprit was... Kanye West.

Details: As reported by the Daily Express, the Kazakh club was forced to play their crucial second-leg third-round qualifier against Levski 800 kilometers from home, as Almaty's Central Stadium was being prepped for the American rapper's massive comeback concert. The match was moved to Turkestan, and Kairat, who had already lost the first leg in Sofia 0-1 after conceding in the 90+2nd minute, fell at "home" by the same scoreline. The result: 0-2 on aggregate and an exit from the Champions League.

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The stadium standoff between the club and the rapper dragged on since July: Kairat publicly voiced frustration that West's concert, scheduled for August 14, was considered more important than the Champions League clash. "The concert is more important," head coach Rafael Urazbakhtin commented with bitter irony. The club was forced to give up their ground, and the home advantage that just a year ago had helped the Kazakhs stun Celtic in the playoffs simply vanished.

What stings even more is that last season Kairat made their debut in the main stage of the Champions League and were dreaming of a repeat. Now, the Kazakh side faces a Europa League qualifying campaign, where they will meet the winner of the PAOK vs Anderlecht tie. Meanwhile, on August 14, Kanye West will play his first-ever concert in Kazakhstan, at the very stadium where football fate was supposed to be decided.

Reminder: Sofia fortress vs Almaty grit: prediction for Levski — Kairat